06/08/2012

DIY Bike Chain Keeper

Our friend Chris over at Problem Solvers sent along a great little hack to assist with chain maintenance. The following text and picture come from the Problem Solver page -

We've seen (and considered designing our own) chain keepers for doing maintenance before. They typically seem to run about $10–20. A buddy of a buddy of a guy who knows a guy who knows this mechanic (Paul from Bike Tech Miami) who made this simple version from a derailleur pulley and a chopped quick-release skewer:

Don't think you would need to cut down a QR skewer, 'cause if you did you'd have to re-thread the rod for the nut that fits on the opposite end. Use a QR seatpost bolt; that should be about the right size.

And then, what do you intend to use this hack for? Transporting the bike in a box on a plane/train/bus? If so, then I'd say use an old QR rear hub from a wheel that you had trashed. Cut away the spoke and rim; pull the cluster, and use it like that. This way the hub also acts as a spacer so that there less chance of the rear triangle being crushed or bent inward during baggage handling.